Eventually
by CptAbLovegood
Summary: Post war Drarry. Draco apologies for his actions and the two eventually become friends and then boss ass dads. (rating it mature just in case but im not sure yet if itll get more steamy than a kiss) (Title is trash ill try come up with a better one) (Wolfstar fans pls dont hate me ill get round to ftb i swear)
1. Chapter 1

**So I have 21 bits of coursework and 7 2 hour exams which I haven't started revising for all due in just over a month? I ask myself what I'm doing with my life but I fell down a drarry hole and fanfic was my only chance of escape.  
In this chapter Draco is trying to make amends for his past behaviour and accepting that hes becoming a new man. **

Draco took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. He had Apparated as close to the burrow as he dared, ending up at the bottom of a gently sloping hill atop which sat the miss-matched building. As he started up the incline he took the structure and its surrounding in: a large garden with pig pens, vegetable patches and chicken coops surrounded a house which seemed to impossibly defy gravity; it was implausibly tall and some rooms barely seemed attached to the main structure yet there it stood bold as brass and confident in its ability to shelter those within. It was such a juxtaposition to how Draco had grown up but just by looking at he could see that this was much more of a home than he had known and it held many memories both happy and sad.

He stopped just shy of the wooden stable door and tried to collect himself. He straightened his collar and smoothed his hair then tugged nervously at his cuffs (a habit he acquired from being summoned to his father's study). While he stood finding the courage to knock he heard shouts of laughter coming from what appeared to be the kitchen, maybe if he only knocked quietly they wouldn't hear and he could kid himself he had tried and just go home, but that wouldn't help anyone.

Before he could think about it further and risk talking himself out of it he rapped on the door as loudly as he could. The sound of chatter died away and a figure appeared on the other side of the glass. He belatedly thought that he didn't know what he would do if Mr Weasley answered the door, how could he look him in the eye after his father had made work an unnecessary struggle them when all he was doing was trying to support his family.

The door swung open and the person on the side looked at him in part confusion and part disbelief. Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister stood in front of him with flushed cheeks, an apron round her waist and what appeared to be flour in her hair. She stared at him for a long quiet moment deciding if Draco Malfoy really was standing on her doorstep or if George and put some potion he was working on in her tea. Deciding him to be real she turned and shouted in the direction of the kitchen, "RON!" before heading into the house and up the stairs. Draco had expected her to know that he was here to see Harry but then again he supposed Harry wasn't the only one which deserved an apology.

Ron entered the hallway seeking out his sister and the smile which had been playing on his face dropped the moment he saw Draco. Right at his shoulders came Harry and Hermione both displaying similar signs of disbelief when they realised who the unexpected visitor was. Hermione was the first to compose herself,  
"Come in." She said, moving to close the door behind him but still ensuring there was plenty of room between them, and why shouldn't she, he had possibly treated her the worst out of the three. She turned her back on him then pushed the two boys in front of her in to a side room – it was clear Draco should follow.

They were in some kind of drawing room that all though cosy didn't look as if it was used very often as it was homed to various discarded items. Harry placed a dining chair opposite the sofa where the golden trio arranged themselves with Harry in the middle. Draco took the seat in front of them not quite sure where to start. He suddenly had the odd idea that if he were to go sit next to Ron they would appear as a perfect gradient from Hermione's cocoa skin, to Harrys copper, Ron's peach coloured freckles and finally Draco's marble like skin. He shook his head slightly and finally managed to look at the three best friends.

Hermione had never been the slightest of girls but now she had visibly lost weight and it was evidently not in a healthy manner, she looked gaunt, a former shadow of herself. Ron who had never been darkly coloured now looked almost grey under his freckles, his eyes were gaunt and sunk in to his face. Harry looked the most ordinary apart from the patches of stubble where the razor had missed but maybe he had always looked worn and dishevelled so it didn't seem odd now. They had been laughing only moments early but no amount of joy could erase how the past few years had changed them, they had all lost people they cared about and it would always be forever present on their faces.

Draco found himself staring at a stray splat of cake batter which clung to Harry's cheek, clearly Ron was watching him the closest as he followed his gaze to Harry's face.  
"Mate." He said as he used the flat of his hand to smear the mess off his friend's cheek.  
"Thanks." Harry replied then looked at Draco as if he was about to say something but closed his mouth again. Draco looked at them all for a sign that one of them would speak but none of them seemed about to offer anything. The idea to come and apologise in person had seemed like a good one in his head but now that he was actually laying action to it he had no idea where to start or what to say. How could he even begin to make up for all the things he had done and trouble he had caused.

He opened his mouth but his nerves bottled and left him. He stood up jerkily his arms gesturing awkwardly as if they could convey his feelings.  
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have come here, it was a bad idea."  
He turned to leave the room but a hand on his arm was preventing him. Ron loomed half a head taller than him and pushed Draco down in to his seat before resuming his own.  
"You came here for a reason Malfoy and you've already wasted enough of our time so why don't you say whatever it was you came here to say and let us get on with the rest of our day."  
He pulled his cuffs down again and wrung his hands in his lap, eyes fixed on the faded rug.  
"I'm sorry." He croaked barely louder than a whisper.  
"Louder!" Ron demanded.  
"I'm sorry." He could barely keep his voice from cracking.  
"YOU'RE SORRY!" Ron bellowed and this time it was him being held by a restraining hand.  
"Ron please." Hermione said gently. She took his large pale hand in her small dark one and he seemed to relax minutely.

Draco inhaled deeply and suddenly it all came gushing out of him.  
"I know a stupid apology isn't ever going to make up for even a fraction of the things I've done but I have to start somewhere right? I know I was the most terrible shitty person ever and as much as I want to I can't take that back. Hermione I was vicious and horrible to you every day. I was racist and bigoted and no one deserves to be treated like that. You're one of the most intelligent and competent people that I've ever met, there's no denying. Maybe I was just jealous because someone who had just been introduced to the wizarding world was better than I was and it had been all I'd ever known. I was stupid to think that I was ever better than you just because my parents were wizards but I know now that blood has nothing to do with a person's worth. I know it's too little too late but I'm sorry for every time I called you a mudblood, for every time I made you feel small or hexed you. And I'm sorry for what my family's done to you." Hermione's hand moved instinctively to pull down her sleeve ensuring that the letters carved in to her arm weren't visible. Her chin was stubborn but her eyes were round and wet at the painful memories.

"And Ron. I know this probably falls on deaf ears but I'm sorry for every time I taunted you and your family. I was stupid to think money could buy anyone happiness. I'm sorry for every time I called you a blood traitor when really it was me that was being the coward and doing the wrong thing, I-"  
Ron rose suddenly from his seat having heard enough, Hermione grabbed his arm worried that he would hit the blonde man but she needed have fretted as he simply stormed from the room without a backwards glance. Hermione went to follow him and stopped at the door, she looked at Harry questioningly, wondering if he was coming too but he gave her a small tight smile and she nodded in understanding, closing the door behind her and leaving the once enemies alone.

Harry used one hand to lift his glasses up and the other to scrub at his weary eyes.  
"And me Malfoy?" It sounded like Harry wanted to provoke him but there was no heat in his voice, maybe he didn't have the energy. Suddenly being alone with the boy whose life he had set out to ruin Draco found he was once more lost for words. He looked up at Harrys open honest face and to his shame found his eyes round and full of tears. He rubbed furiously at them with his sleeve but Harry didn't look away nor did his expression change.

"What's the point? Nothing I say is going to change anything. No matter how many times I apologise I still did and said all those things. That was me and it's not like I'm the only one who has to live with what I've done. Like I said it was stupid to come."  
Harry looked at the fellow pure blood pityingly. "You know a wise wizard once told me that 'we've all got both light and dark inside us' and that it's the part we choose to act on that defines who we are." Draco flinched but Harry continued. "He also told me that the world wasn't just good people and death eaters and that sometimes people do stupid bad things because they're scared and don't know any better. I'm not excusing what you did and I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully forgive, but I'm willing to try, because I know deep down that you're not evil, and I can tell this is you trying to act on that light. And it's not the first time, you couldn't kill Dumbledore because you're not a killer and you tried not to expose me and Hermione when we were captured by the Snatchers and that counts for something. You're trying at least trying to make up from your past mistakes. You were young and naive and didn't know any better when it started and your parents weren't exactly the best guides."

Draco sighed he didn't deserve Harry's sympathy no matter how much he craved it.  
"I can't use my upbringing as an excuse, you had a decidedly worse start than me and you didn't make it your personal mission to fuck everyone over."  
Harry was surprised to hear Draco swear, he always appeared so put together and clean and now that man was visibly crumbling before Harry and it struck him as odd to see such hard, sharp features capable of tears. If Ron or Hermione were crying he'd have hugged them but he didn't think he was quite up to that with Malfoy yet so he offered him words instead.  
"What's done is done and if you keep dwelling on the past then you're never going to allow yourself to stop being Malfoy and become Draco. Stop using words to try and make up for what you've done, just change your actions."  
Draco smiled at him ruefully. "When did you become so wise?"  
Harry smirked slightly and Draco's stomach twisted. "Somewhere between being the youngest seeker in 100 years and defeating Voldemort." He joked, "Though if I'm honest I think it's just an act most of the time. Wait here will you I've got something of yours." The pale man looked at him questioningly but he didn't offer an answer.

Harry was gone for several long minutes and Draco suspected he had been waylaid by his friends. Eventually Harry returned offering a short dark stick to his fellow pureblood. Draco looked at his former wand and shook his head. Harry had won ownership of it the same night that he had been captured by the Snatchers and had had it ever since. Draco had gotten a new wand fairly soon after and it had instantly felt more a part of him than the former. He was a different person to when he had bought his first so it seemed fitting that he should now have a new wand.  
"It's hawthorn and unicorn hair, I guess the wood was always fitting as its often found with conflicted wizards or those going through turmoil, the cores kind of ironic though, unicorn hair is mean to be the most loyal and hardest to turn to the dark arts but I guess neither's true for this wand."  
"You weren't a real death eater Draco, not really."  
Draco visibly flinched, his hand moving subconsciously to the tattoo on his left arm even though it was covered by his long shirt. Harry looked at him confused. "What did I, I'm sorry I didn't mean-"  
"No, it's just I think that's the first time you've called me Draco."  
Harry smiled wanly, "Well let's hope it's the first of many. And your new wand?"  
"Fir, another irony because it's meant to be bad with changeable wizards and dragon heart string which is the easiest to turn to the dark arts, it's like my wands are mocking me right?"

Harry huffed a soft laugh and tried to hand Draco his old wand once more which he accepted this time if somewhat gingerly.  
"I know it sounds stupid, but this wand it represents who I used to be. What I used to be and all the bad stupid mistakes I made. Getting my new wand was almost like a rebirth of sorts."  
Harry nodded gently as if he understood what Draco was trying to explain. He took the wand between his two hands, his intentions clear and looked at Harry for some kind of reassurance or conformation. The other man didn't offer any further words but the look in his eyes was encouraging.

Draco snapped the wand.

Several blue sparks leapt from the wood as it broke in to two pieces one landed on Draco's shirt sleeve and soon his whole arm was ablaze.  
"Shit fuck fuck!" He swore dancing around wildly but Harry had leant across and slapped it out before it had done any real damage and couldn't help but laugh.  
"Are you ok?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice. Draco nodded silently and looked at the signed material of his shirt which now exposed the dark mark. Harry followed his gaze and a frown creased his brow, he grabbed Draco's wrist and pulled his arm straight so he could see it better. The tattoo had faded from black to red now that Voldemort was finally dead and it was covered in fine scratches and scabs.  
"I-, sometimes I imagine that I can still feel it burning, like he's about to come back again. I know it's in my head but it feels so real sometimes."  
Harry released Draco's wrist and brought his hand up to his forehead, pushing his unruly curls out of the way and placing his palm on the famous white scar that etched his brow.  
"Me too." His voice was gentle but hoarse.

Draco suddenly felt suffocated and knew he could stay no longer. He pushed his chair away from the other man who stood to meet him.  
"I should leave now, no doubt Ron is fuming silently upstairs, I'm pretty certain I'dd out stayed my welcome before I'd even arrived."  
"He can hold a grudge with the best of them." Harry said neither a comfort nor dig, "I appreciate what you did today; it couldn't've been easy coming here and must've taken a lot of courage."  
Draco couldn't think of what else to say and found he couldn't look the man in the eye any longer, he waved awkwardly and walked away from the burrow until he could Apparate safely. When he returned home he still felt a burning sensation on his skin, but it wasn't the phantom itch of his dark mark or burns left where the flames had licked his flesh, but the skin around his wrist where it had been held by Harry James Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Before anyone complains I'm making muggle tech integratable with magic so suck it. In this chapter Draco moves in to his new apartment and Blaise organises a house warming party for him.**

Blaise set the box he was carrying down and propped himself against the breakfast island. "That's the last one." He said wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "It's kind of satisfying doing things the muggle way right?"  
"If someone had told me you'd even have been able to say the work muggle without sneering two years ago I'd have laughed in their face."  
"Oh you're one to talk Draco, less than 12 months ago you were heir to the Malfoy fortune and a member of one of the proudest pureblood families in history."  
"I still am, it's just that's not all I am anymore."  
"No I guess not. Who'd've thought you'd have the balls to leave mummy and move out into the big bad world and into a muggle area no less!"  
"Shut up Blaise." He laughed chucking a stray bit of packing material at his friend.

The taller friend slid onto a barstool and took the mug of coffee that Draco offered him before fixing him with a concerned look. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"  
"Yes!" Draco said exasperatedly, he'd lost count of the number of people that had asked him that.  
"I mean it Draco. I get it, I really do, the whole moving out, wiping the slate clean starting anew I understand. But did you really have to up sticks and move away from everyone you've ever known? I'm worried about you being alone."  
"Be careful Blaise that almost sounded like genuine concern. And you're forgetting two very important things, firstly we're bloody wizards. It's not exactly going to be hard to visit each other is it? I made sure the apartment had a fireplace so I could use the floo network before I bought the place."  
"And the second thing?" Blaise asked clearly not convinced.  
"I'm bloody Draco Malfoy aka the most charming person ever, if I can't use my wits and wiles to make new friends then what help does anyone else have, eh?"  
Blaise put his mug down and clasped Draco's hands between his own. "I know you're trying to reassure me but you totally just made me way more nervous for you." His voice was slightly patronising and Draco wondered how much damage his coffee would do if he chucked it at Blaise; clearly the other wizard knew Draco far too well and released his hand so he could move the beverage out of range. "But fear not for today is your lucky day!"  
Draco rubbed his temples gently not liking where this was going. "Blaise, no, no, don't you dare say it it's not happening-"  
"WE'RE HAVING A PARTY!"  
"Oh I hate you." Draco grumbled but he couldn't help smiling slightly, once Blaise had his mind set on a party you could guarantee it was going to happen and they were notoriously messy affairs, Draco only hoped he wouldn't piss the neighbours off or wreck his furniture in the first week.

…

Seeing as Draco couldn't drive and Blaise had the car he agreed to go and pick Ursa while Draco waited for the removal men to deliver the larger pieces of furniture. By the time Blaise returned the furniture was all in place and Draco had begun unpacking some of his boxes. Blaise came into the apartment swinging a pet carrier in one hand and a bag in the other.  
"Blaise!" Draco snapped snatching the box from his friend, an offended yowl issued from inside and he set the box down gently on the worktop.  
"Yeesh sorry." Blaise said, completely not caring that he had just been swinging Draco's cat around.  
"Evil git." Draco muttered under his breath as he reached his hand into the cage to stroke his pet reassuringly. "I'll let you scratch him later Ursa don't you worry" he crooned to her.

Blaise gave him a disgusted look then flounced over to the new sofa. "Come on Draco!" he said patting the seat next to him.  
"Wait let me get her settled first ok?" His sighed loudly but didn't hassle him further. When Draco returned Blaise shoved a piece of parchment in to Draco's face and looked at him expectantly.  
"What's this meant to be?"  
"The beginnings of the guest list for this Friday."  
"This Friday? No Blaise!" Draco whined.  
"Yes this Friday. If we wait any longer you'll put it off for good. Plus a ton of people who missed their seventh year will be going back in September to finish their education so it has to be before then. And everyone loves a good summer house party."  
Draco was clearly unconvinced but he looked at the list anyway. "I don't even know who half these people are Blaise. And why are there so many men?"  
"Well it's not exactly like you're going to invite Goyle and Flint is it so yeah the Slytherin pickings are pretty low, but Pansy's on there, Terence Higgs, Vaisey, Adrian Pucey, Tracey Davis, the Carrow twins. And pretty much everyone else you don't know which is fine. You'll be fine."  
"You didn't answer why there were so many men?" Draco said fixing his friend with a pointed look.  
"Well, I mean I just think it'd be good to see if ya know you clicked with any of them. Oh yeah we need to specify no magic cos I may have invited a few muggle friends, no biggy, come to think of it maybe we shouldn't invite Pansy?"  
Draco sighed long and deep. "She'll be fine but will you please stop trying to set me up with people! I'm fine without a boyfriend."  
"Oh don't be bitter Draco, it never would've worked between us, you couldn't've bared being the least attractive in the relationship." Draco gasped offended.  
"You're so bloody full of yourself Zabini." But he carried on down the list without looking at his friend. "Neville, Dean, Seamus? They're never going to come. Romilda Vane and Cormac Mclaggen I don't want them there!"  
Blaise sighed. "Draco we have to invite as many people as possible, especially those from other houses or people you've wronged, it shows you're turning over a new leaf. It's not like people are going to expect prime conversation and a five course meal, just keep the booze flowing and the tunes pumping. Plus, I kinda already sent out the invites."  
"Blaise you arsehole!" Draco shouted hitting him hard on the arm. "Oh I fucking hate you! How am I meant to unpack and sort a party out in four days?!"  
"Look don't worry about the party I'll sort it all out, I started getting provisions already." He said winking and pulling an unbelievable amount of bottles from the same bag that had held the list. "I'm thinking with the muggle peeps butterbeer and firewhiskey will be fine but no giggle water. I'll grab a couple of cases from mum and dads cellar as well, plus I said BYO on the invite so they'll be plenty to go round."  
Draco rolled his eyes back into his head and thumped the sofa. Blaise smirked, squeezed Draco's face between his hands and kissed him loudly on the forehead. "Stop stressing my love it'll be fine. I've got to dash but I'll take some of these empty boxes with me on the way, I'll text you tonight, if I forget I'll send you an owl in the morning with more deets."  
He picked a stack of boxes up and placed them under his arms, leaving with a wave but he dipped back straight after.  
"Oh and Draco, I invited the trio too." He closing the door behind him so that he couldn't hear his friends cursed response.

Draco let out a deep sigh and sunk into the coach before getting straight back up and heading to his bedroom where he had settled the cat.  
"Hey Ursa." He greeted the long haired white cat as he took her in his arms. "What have I signed myself up for? And your nasty uncle Blaise invited the trio, how about that hey girl you might get to meet the famous Harry Potter." The cat squirmed to be released and he let it go before sighing yet again. "Who knew moving out would be so stressful, I've been here for a whole three hours and I've already become a crazy cat lady."  
Blaise had made him restless so he paced back to the living room, ensuring the cat was shut in the room. He paced his new apartment letting it sink in that this was all his. Sure the Malfoy fortune had paid for it but he'd pay it off eventually.

All the walls were painted an off-white. The floors were hardwood and the rugs and soft furnishings were all white too. The coffee table was an oversized clock topped with glass and the sideboards and tables were mirrored. The only black thing in the room was the oversized fireplace. He had spent ages with Blaise picking out the furniture and apart from his clothes pretty much everything else was brand new. Malfoy manor had been full of dark curtains, wallpaper and wood. Despite the vast size of the rooms they had felt closed in and claustrophobic full of ancient antiques and dark secrets, the polar opposite of how he intended to live from now on. It seemed silly that something as simple as a colour change would make such a difference but the transition from dark to light was symbolic of his change in mentality.

Draco looked at the list Blaise had left on the coffee table yet again and raked his hand through his hair, if Friday didn't come for another month it would still be too soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Guys I'm not fucking joking I have too much fucking work to be updating so frequently! Also I know I'm shit at writing dialogue and I've used 'and'about 50 times but oh well**

Draco had spent half an hour changing his shirt and re-combing his hair into the same place, Blaise telling him he looked fine every time he put a new top on before he finally settled on the first one he'd tried.  
"Draco you're wigging me out pacing around, now can you down this wine and chill the fuck out." Draco took the glass that his friend offered him and knocked it back before grimacing. "Is this really what's become of me? I'm some basic white twink bitch chugging box chardonnay because I'm too nervous to deal with my own party?"  
"Firstly you've not just become this, you've always been it you're just finally accepting it and secondly this is actually the good wine, we're saving the shit box stuff for when you're shitfaced. Maybe a shot of fire whiskey will help ease it down?"  
"As tempting as that sounds I don't want to be trolleyed before everyone else arrives."

Blaise had told people to arrive for 9pm, but it wasn't until about ten that people started to trickle in. Thankfully the first few people to arrive were all either people from Slytherin or Blaise's friends that Draco had never met which made the whole ordeal substantially less awkward than it would've been if a carload of Gryffindor's had pulled up first. A couple of hours later most people had arrived and the party was in full swing and it was busy enough that it was acceptable for Draco to sit at his own breakfast bar drinking and not talking to anyone. He was surprised by how well it was going a startling amount of people who he'd never been particularly nice to at Hogwarts had come and no one had called him out on his shitty younger behaviour. Plus so far there hadn't been any conflicts between the reformed purebloods and muggleborns. He had had to subtly shove some wands back in to pockets once or twice but apart from that it was pretty incident free in fact it was quite fun watching the wizards act surprised when the muggle guests exclaimed that 'wow this firewhiskey really does burn!'.

Draco was staring pensively in to his half empty glass when a hard clap on his shoulders forced his attention. Blaise was standing behind him with a girl looking bored off to one side.  
"Draco my man, I need you to meet someone, this is Astoria, she's a dyke!"  
"Oh my god Blaise you can't say that!"  
"No, no it's fine, we've been friends for ages. But she's gay and single and you're gay and single."  
"I'm confused." Draco said pulling a face. "How much have you drank that you think you can set up a lesbian and a gay? Like at least a bottle of fire whiskey right?"  
"No, no, no it's like networking, like you find your people ya know." He slurred slightly.  
"Wow it's like you're collecting the gays, did you know you could get male fag hags?" He asked turning to the girl with long black hair.  
"It's Blaise nothing he does surprises me anymore. As nice as it was to meet you there's a super fit girl over there with an empty glass and I'm about to pop this bottle of champers. Catch ya later."  
"Did she honestly bring champagne to a house party?"  
"Uh huh."  
"And that 'super fit girl' is Pansy?"  
"Uh huh."  
"I like this girl." Draco said a smile in his voice. "I feel like I wanna tell her that Pansy's only bicurious when she's drunk but I don't want to ruin her buzz."

"And what about you Draco darling. No sign of Potter yet."  
"What, I'm not waiting for him."  
"Erm firstly bullshit. You've been watching the door all night and have barely spoken to anyone, not even any of my super fit friends I invited for you. And secondly I heard that torrent of abuse you spouted when I said I'd invited them and we all know the reason you hated him for years was because you were crushing hard."  
"You're full of bullshit Zabini. He's probably not even doing to come and if he does he'll bring his girlfriend so whether you think I have a thing for him or not isn't really relevant is it?"  
"Wait that fitty Ginny right? They still together? How about we divide and conquer then we can both get what, no, who we want."  
"Fuck Blaise they do have a say in this! Plus Harry's probably straight anyway."  
"Oh he's Harry now is he?" Blaise taunted before starting suddenly. A slow grin then spread over his face. "Speak of the chosen one and he doth appear!"  
Draco looked up at the door and sure enough someone had just let in Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter himself. Draco turned to say something to his friend but Blaise had already disappeared back into the party.

It seemed that the trio could feel Draco's gaze on them as their eyes gravitated straight to him. Hermione gave him a small polite smile, there wasn't genuine warmth but she had be bought up well, Ron didn't quite manage that but at least he didn't look like he was going to run at Draco. Harry gave him a warm sincere smile and made a beeline straight to the Slytherin leaving his two friends behind.  
"Hey." He said clapping Draco on the shoulder as if they hadn't hated each other for the past seven years. "I didn't really imagine a house party was your kind of thing?"  
"It's really not but Blaise decided he was going to throw one and once he gets an idea he's like a dog with a bone. Didn't Ginny want to come? I mean, I dunno if Blaise invited her specifically but I'd like to think you'd feel like you could bring her."  
"Oh uh," he ran a hand through his black curls and looked sheepishly at his feet. "We, uh split up. Quite a while ago actually."  
"Oh so when I came round the other day you two weren't-?" He trailed off trying to hide his interest in the subject.  
"No, we're still good friends though, I mean it'd be hard not, we've been through a lot together. We both mutually decided that we only really ended up together because of the stress of the war ya know. I mean when you don't know if you're going to wake up tomorrow you don't want to have to be alone. Stupid really."  
Draco was surprised by how easily they could talked to one another and wondered if they'd have been friends all those years ago if he hadn't been such an arse.  
"How did Ron take that?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.  
"Oh god you've no idea how scared I was to tell him but Ginny was really great and just staged it so it looked like she was breaking up with me and it was fully her idea. I think he ignored her for a week but when you've got that many siblings I don't particularly think she cared."

Draco grinned and shook his head then realised what Harry was wearing and caught his tie in a question.  
"Oh shit." Harry smirked. "I don't know why but for some reason I had it in my head that this was a kind of reunion thing. Ron and Hermione told me it wasn't but I wouldn't listen to reason. You're lucky you only got the tie they managed to talk me out of coming in full quidditch gear."  
Draco smirked and jerked his thumb behind him. "I mean I know they're the wrong colours but you can borrow mine if you'll feel more at home."  
Harry shoved him good naturedly and tugged his tie off, shoving it into his back pocket. He then lent over the breakfast bar closer to Draco and said in a mock whisper "I know we weren't meant to but I brought giggle water." Draco gasped in mock shock.  
"Just don't let the muggles see! You know I heard that it's the same chemical in giggle water that's in weed."  
"That would explain a lot you know, I guess it's like having the giggles when you're high just a bit more intense."  
"Potter! Pot-er, get it ayy! Oh wow if I'm making shitty puns I need to lay off the bad wine." He said staring distrustfully in to his glass.  
"How drunk are you?"  
"Oh god nowhere near enough. Now hit me!" he said brandishing two shot glasses.  
After several shots the two pureblood were laughing hysterically and Draco had to fight the urge not to lean over and tuck one of Harry's fly away curls behind his ear. Their laughter had drawn several looks and even though they were mingling by now the worst look came from Ron.  
"I think we're pissing your boyfriend off." Draco said nodding in Ron's direction.  
"Yeah I think I'm gunna go pour some beer down his throat and cheer him up, Dean and Seamus are meant to be coming later so that should put a smile on his face. Wish me luck." He said clapping Draco on the shoulder.

Draco mingled for a while longer, subtly trying to avoid people he had a history with, he even spoke to some of the guys Blaise shoved his way, a few did admittedly peak his interest but he really wasn't in the mood to try and flirt. He hadn't realised that the whole evening would feel so exhausting, he topped his glass up and clocked his friend who had organised the event as he surveyed the room, seeing that he was occupied Draco took the opportunity to slip out of the living room and in to his bedroom. Despite a sign on the door saying not to enter he opened it gingerly in case he found a drunk couple screwing on the bed but it appeared thus far that everyone had adhered to his wishes.  
"Hey girl." He said in greeting to the cat. She had finally settled in and was now allowed the run of the apartment but he hadn't thought letting her out with that many people was a good idea, at best she'd scratch anyone that tried to come near her and at worst she'd bolt.

He made sure she was content on the bed and wouldn't run before lifting up the sash window. He tilted his head back with his eyes closed letting the cool air and the sound of late night traffic wash over him. He took several soothing breaths then rooted around in a draw till he found a battered packet of cigarettes, he fished one out and placed it between his lips but couldn't find a lighter but an unlit cigarette was better than having to go and find a lighter or some matches and risk getting dragged in to another pointless conversation.

He rested his forehead against the wall and stayed there for several minutes before he heard the door open, the sound of the music growing then becoming muffled once more after it was closed behind whoever had entered his room. He turned to tell them to leave but it was only Harry.  
"Can't you read?" he jibed.  
"Well I was just checking the coast was clear before I brought my sex troupe in but I see the rooms already occupied." He smirked. "No I know it sounds stupid but I just needed to have a break from it all, I thought because I went to school with most people here and because the rest are muggles I'd be able to be an ordinary guy for the evening but there's only so many times you can be asked how you are while people try and fail not to look pityingly at you. Plus Blaise and Ron are having a dance off and I think if Hermione has another glass of merlot she'll insist on karaoke."  
"Oh now this I need to see!" Draco said making to get up.  
Harry laughed snagging his arm. "As someone who has fallen victim to her singing I'll save you the pain by forcing you to stay put. Trust me you've not had enough to drink to deal with that, you'll thank me when your eardrums are still intact."  
"And Ron and Blaise? How crazy would it be if our two best friends ended up being pals?" Draco asked.  
"A hell of a lot more normal than the two of us."  
"Is that what we are now, friends?" Draco couldn't even quite believe what he was asking and to who.  
"Yeah why not? You apologised and it was genuine, I can't hold a grudge like Ron, I learnt the hard way life is too short." He smiled glumly.  
"I just don't see how it can be as simple as that with our history?"  
Harry shrugged, "Just is, no need to make things more complicated;"

He noticed the unlit cigarette that Draco was holding and nodded to it. "You know those things do a lot more damage when they're lit right?"  
"I couldn't find a lighter."  
Harry raised his eyebrows so that they disappeared under his dark curls. "Draco," he said in a stage whisper "you know you're a wizard with a wand right?"  
Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head. "After the whole thing with the whole Fiendfyre in the room of requirement magical fire kinda sets me on edge a bit. I know it's stupid but I can't help it."  
Harry shook his head comfortingly, "it's not stupid. Pretty much everywhere I look I see something which isn't there, every grey cloud is signalling a dementor attack, every snake is _his_ , everyone wearing a hoody is a death eater. Oh shit." He laughed flopping down on Draco's bed. "I'm too drunk for this crap. Here do you trust me?" Harry asked pulling his wand from his pocket. Draco looked nervous but moved closer despite his better judgement. " _Incendio"_ Harry said so softly that the tip of his wand barely glowed, he edged towards Draco and used his spare hand to cup the cigarette while it caught, Draco taking a long drag to help the process.  
"See that wasn't so bad now was it."  
"Hey don't be patronising Potter!" he said inhaling deeply and passing the stick to Harry.  
"I didn't take you for a smoker."  
"I'm not really. Just when I'm drunk or stressed and tonight is a perfect mix of both."  
"You know we should get stoned together some time?" Harry said as if it was the most logical thing in the world. "Oh don't look at me like that! It's not like I'm a full on stoner, it just helps me relax sometimes, and it's a hell of a lot better than wizard drugs!"  
Draco huffed a laugh. "You're not wrong, one time Blaise gave me this tab and I swear I hallucinated that everything was dragons for almost a week."

Harry took a swig of fire whiskey from the bottle he was carrying and offered it to Draco as he passed the cigarette back.  
"I'm okay thanks, if I hit the hard stuff now I'll regret it, plus this wine is making me kinda sleepy anyway. Is it against the rules to go to bed at your own party?"  
As if in protest that he come and invade her room too early in the night Ursa jumped up on to the bed and meowed at Draco.  
"Oh hey!" Harry said reaching to stroke her.  
"Oh no don't-" but he had already reached for her.  
"What?" Harry asked confused his dark skin buried in her white fur.  
"I just thought she was going to scratch you. She's not usually too good when new people try and touch her straight away but I guess she likes you."  
"Well don't tell her I'm more of a dog person I don't want to ruin her trust."  
"I dog person! You can just get out of this apartment right now!" he joked.  
"Ha, well you know my godfather was a dog. What's she called anyway?"  
"Ursa."  
"Ursa?"  
"Yeah you know like Ursa Major, Ursa minor."  
"What is it with your family and star names?" Draco shrugged. "Your parents didn't mind you taking her when you moved out?"  
"Oh they didn't ever really want her to begin with, probably glad I've got her."  
"But you never brought her to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.  
"Well I had a bit of a masculinity complex back then, I couldn't very well have a cat making people think I wasn't a bad ass. Anyway she's too high maintenance to have been taken to and from school every term, I'm honestly surprised she's been as cool as she has about the move."

There was a sudden loud thump from the direction of the living room causing the cat to leap off the bed and run to hide under the wardrobe. Draco pulled a face and stubbed his cigarette out on the windowsill before closing it.  
"I'm not even sure I want to know." He complained before getting up off the bed to go and investigate, Harry followed close behind, so close in fact that Draco could feel him breathing down the back of his neck which made Draco fumble when he tried to open the door. It appeared that the number of guests had doubled in the time that Draco had been in his room, in fact it was so crowded that he couldn't immediately see what had caused the disturbance. But then he saw that the sofa had been toppled over, Blaise was piled on the floor next to it and Ron was hovering above him fist raised, Draco was just glad no wands had appeared. He grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him to look in the correct direction of the fight.  
"For fuck sake!" Harry cursed. He sprinted across the room pushing people out of the way then wrapped his hands around Ron's waist pulling him back with some difficulty due to large height difference.  
"Alright parties over people, move on out!" He bellowed over the din. Draco moved through the spectators and turned the stereo off, the sudden lack of music having more effect than Harry's shouts.

Harry and Hermione escorted Ron out of the building and Draco was surprised to see Harry return a few moments later. He smiled at Draco sheepishly and then went about the task of ushering everyone out. Between the two of them it took almost half an hour, people kept trying to restart the music or grab just one last drink and Draco had to almost forcibly remove a couple making out in the bathroom, neither of which he knew. When the only Blaise was left Harry scanned the room a final time then headed for the door, raking his hand through his dishevelled hair. "I'm sorry about that." He said turning to Draco.  
"Well it's not your fault, plus it takes two to tango." He said looking in the direction of his friend. "Thanks by the way, you know, for making sure it didn't escalate and for getting everyone out."  
"No problem, I've gotten good at diffusing situations over the years."  
"Did you find out what happened?" Draco asked but Harry just shook his head.  
"Ron wouldn't say anything but knowing him after a few beers it was probably something trivial."  
"Yeah and knowing Blaise it probably wasn't unprovoked."  
Harry smirked and squeezed Draco's shoulder. "See ya soon." He said turning to leave.  
"Yeah, thanks again. Get home safe." He said closing the door behind him.

He inhaled deeply and turned to look at Blaise.  
"Up!" he demanded walking over and offering his friend a hand. He hoisted him up and the two of them restored the sofa to its original position. Draco went and retrieved some sheets and chucked them at his friend who barely managed to catch them, then left the room, turning the light off before Blaise had time to set up a makeshift bed. Draco left the lights in his own room off, stripping and dumping his clothes in a pile on the floor before crawling in to bed. Ursa still hadn't left her hiding place but once Draco was settled she jumped on to the bottom of the bed and stayed a safe distance away. As Draco lay in bed he didn't think of the hassle with Blaise, he would deal with that in the morning, the only thing that occupied his mind was Harry. He thought back to his departing words and wondered if he really would be seeing him soon or if that was just a thing people said to each other.


End file.
